I didn't try it (yet); my understanding is that I can't use my XP disks to install to any machine other than the one it shipped with - or one very nearly like it. In that respect, they aren't really installation disks, per se, but restoration disks for "pre-installed (sic) software" The old machine being an HP and the new being a Gateway, I didn't even attempt that. A better plan, I think, is to swap out the hard drives; haven't tried that yet either, since I was informed that the new machines have SATA drives, supposedly incompatible with my older ATA (?) drive, so I'll have to look into that eventually.

Software exists to make Vista more dual-boot compatible, so I may pursue that course too if I fail to get all my aps initialized properly. As long as I don't reformat that (now enclosed) drive, I should be able to extract it and make it a boot drive on a capable machine.

I was planning on getting Vista this summer anyway, on a lighter, more fully-fleshed out notebook than my half-dead HP, which ran hot, was close to a 10-pounder with the p/s, and had "only" 64mb of video memory. Nevertheless, it was an admirable performer, and XP, while not completely rock-solid 24/7/30/365, came pretty close to it. I could start multiple instances of Max, for instance, or run Max, Flash, and Photopaint simultaneously without problems.

Anyway, I was hoping to have the HP operative while I gradually migrated over to Vista, but the Fates, fickle as always, didn't allow me that luxury.

~

A few, encouraging steps of progress since my earlier posts. I was able to get my Wacom tablet and stylus functioning, although I didn't get the latest driver on my first pass. Magix MIDI Studio appears to run properly if I start it with administrative privs (right click on shortcut), but who knew that?

In copying a bunch of files around between several drives, I noticed that Vista would occasionally forbid some operation: in moving or copying several hundred files, for example, there will be the occasional prohibition against moving or copying this file or that - I couldn't detect any rhyme or reasn to these interruptions - but invoking admin privs helps circumvent some of these bumps in the road.

Inexplicably too, Vista appears to goes catatonic for long periods. You have to check out the drive light to see the machine is still alive. Instead of an hourglass, Vista has a little circular spinning motif that looks like a tiny half-sucked Life Saver, but it disappears for long periods, and if you didn't know to check the drive light, you'd think the machine had locked up. Presumably, these episodes are related to Vista sorting itself out on a new machine, and they will diminish or disappear over time. Strange, though, that there's no on-screen indication that Windows is doing its thing and all is well.

One final oddity: on several instances I've clicked on "go ahead" or whatever, and waited and waited, only to discover later that there was a dialogue window buried and waiting patiently for a response. A glance at the task bar reveals the source of the delay, but traditionally these windows open ON TOP, but not in Vista. I think the problem may be too many windows opening in rapid succession. Vista warms you about everything, the security software is getting in on the act, something else may be trundling in the background, and your "accept" button is buried.

Plan B is still on the table.

S